Rotary drill



J. C. LEWIS. 1

' ROTARY DRILL.

' APPLICATION FIL ED FEB. 16, 1920.

1,34 5.- Patented Aug. 3,1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JULIAN C. LEWIS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ROTARY DRILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Application filed February 16, 1920. Serial No. 358,896.

such as are used in well drilling operations.-

The main object of the invention is to provide a rotary drill which is so constructed that sufficient water will be supplied to the bottom of the hole when the drill is in operation to flush out the cuttings or disintegrated material and keep the cutting tool cool incase the, drill is of the high speed I type. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will'be hereinafter pointed out.

To this end I have devised a rotary drill that is equipped with a pump or propeller arranged in close proximity to the bottom of the hole being drilled and so. constructed that it causes a large volume of water to be forced downwardly through a water pa'ssageway in the head which is of sufficient cross sectional'area to insure an adequate supply of wate'r to the bottom of the hole. I have herein illustrated my invention embodied in ahigh speed drill of the type in which the head of the drill is driven byan electric motor, but I Wish it to be understood that my invention is applica le to any type of rotary drill of the kind in which water is pumped down into the hole being drilled so as to flush out the cuttings or dis integrated material.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section of a rotary drill constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the drill shown in Fig.1.

Referringto the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates the well casing, which remains stationary or at rest when the drill is in operation. B designates the head of the drill and C the operating shaft that rotates the drill head. In the drill herein shown the shaft C is driven or rotated by the arm. ture shaft (not shown) of an electric motor whose housing D is clamped to the well casing A in such a manner that said hous ing D will not turn or rotate when the elec tric motor is in operation. I have not illustrated the means that is used for clamping the housing of the electric motor to the well casing, as said means forms no part of my present invention.

IV hen the drill is in operation water is admittedto the upper end of the well casing A and is forceddownwardly through a passageway 52 in ttre'heatbof the drill by a pump or propeller that is preferably built into the head, thereby causing the cuttings or the material that is disintegrated by the cutting devices on the head of the drill to be flushed out of the bottom of the hole and circulated upwardly around the outside of the well casing A in a well known manner. The housing I) of the electric motor that rotates the head of the drill is connected to the housing D of said pump, preferably by.

cooperating screw threads thereon, and said pump housing is provided with slots or Onfices 1 through which the wash water is admitted to said pump housing, the blades of said pump being located below the orifices l. I prefer to build the pump or propeller into the. head of the drill and form the water passageway 2 inthe head in such a manner that it serves as the discharge outlet of said pump or propeller. The water I passageway 2 in the head is of great enough cross sectional area to insure sufficient water being supplied to the bottom of the hole to flush out the cuttings and to keep the cutting tools on the head of the drill cool, and in the form of my invention herein illustrated the water passageway 2 extends vertically through the lower end portion of the head Bof the drill and terminates at the lower end of same, as shown inFig. 1, thus causing a large volume of water to be discharged from the lower end of the head. in close proximity to the'cutters E and F.

The head B of the drill is provided with cutters E; F and G that can be of any prewater by said cutters-to be greater at the.

periphery of the cutters than at the termination of the water passageway through which the flushing water escapes from the lower end of the head.

through the passageway 2 in'the head coinprrses a set of revolving blades or vanes 3 provided with a plurality of sets of re'volv ing blades'and a plurality of sets of stationar'y blades in instances where it is desired to' produce considerable pressure and introduce a large volume of water into the bottom of the hole. The drill herein illustrated is constructed in this manner and is provided with a second set of revolving blades 3? and a second set of stationary blades;

to the tubular member thatforms the" outer surface of the head B and also being rigidly connected to the operating shaft'C of the drill. In the drill herein shown the hub 5 v is provided with an internally'tapered bore that fits over a taperedportion at-the lower' end of the operating shaft..C,-$aid shaft C having an externally screw threaded portion 6 that'is screwed into-the lower end of the hub 5andlocked' thereto by any suitable means, such, for example, as a set screw 7 I The blades orlvanes 3 are arranged be tween the hub 5 and thetubularouter portion of the head B of the drill and are preferably integrally connected -to said parts soas to serve as theconnection between same.-

The-stationary blades or vanes 4 are carried a sleeve 8 that is arranged inside of the pump housing D, and a ring 9 that fits in an annular groove in the hub 5 of the drill head at a point above the upper ends of the revolving blades 3, said sleeve 8 being connected to the pump housing D in such a manner that it will not revolve when the drill is in operation. The particular form or curvature of the blades 3 and 4 is immatel'ial, so far as my broad idea is concerned,

,so long as they are of such design that water and G surround The pump or propeller previously referred to that forces the flushing water downwardly with the exterior of the pump housing D,

will be forced downwardly through the passageway 2 in the head, due to the cooperation of the revolving blades 3 and stationary blades 4. The-upper revolving blades 3 project radially from the hub 5, and the outer. vertical edges of said blades are spaced away from the in ner surface of the sleeve 8. The upper stationary bladesa project inwardly from said sleeve Sand the inner vertical edges of said blades' l are spaced away from-the outer surface of the hub Any suitable meanscan be employed for preventing' the, sleeve fromrotati'ng relatively to the head B of the drill, the means herein illustrated for this purpose consisting of a 89 laterally-projecting key or keys 10 on the outer surface of the sleeve 8 that enter a ver and a set of stationary bla'des or vanes 4. ig v O grooves n h inner Sid If desired, said'pump or'propellermay be of the pump housing D. By connecting the sleeve 8 to the pump housing in this manner and providing the stationary blades 4 with a part 9 that fits in an annular groove in-the hub.5 of the drillhead, the sleeve 8 and the head B of,the drill can move vertically slightly with relation to the pump housing D without destroying the opera- ,tive I8lat1OI1Sl111) between the revolving blades and the stationary blades of the drill. The sleeves 8 and 9, together with some of the blades 4 and 4 are preferably split axially so as to facilitate assembling the parts of the drill, said sleeves being herein shown as composed oftwo sections connected together at their upper ends by fastening devices 12 that 'pass through cooperating blades 4, as shown in Fig. 2, and connected together at their lower ends by fastening devices 13 that pass through laterally-projectinglugs' 10 on the sections of the sleeve 8 whiclrconstitute the keys 10- previously referred to that slide in the vertical grooves 11 in the pump housing D. A removable bushing- 14 that is arranged in the lower end ofthe pump housing D and which has a close fit with the head B ofthe drill,j as 110 shown in Fig. 1, prevents the wash water i and the cuttings from entering the pump housing. I also prefer to provide the well casing A with a shoe 14 that has'a close fit and thus prevents the cuttings that are car rled upwardly by the wash waterfrom cn- I O -ter1ng the space between the well casing and the pump housing. orifices 15 are preferably formed in the lower end portion of the sleeve 8 adjacent to the grooves '11 in the pump housing so as tocause. water to circulate upwardly through the grooves 11 and thus keep them clean when'the drill. is in operation.

\Vhen the head B of the drill rotates the pump or propeller formed by the cooperating revolving blades and stationary blades carried by the head of the drill and by the sleeve 8, respectively, will cause water to the lower end of the drill head cool, as is necessary in a high speed drill. The fiushing water, together with the cuttings, is forced upwardly from the bottom-of the hole by the pumping action produced by the cutting devices on the head of the drill when said head rotates. Consequently, my improved drill may be said to have one pump, namely, the cooperating blades 3, 4, 3* and 4, that draw water downwardly toward the bottom of the hole, and an independent pumping means,,namely-, the cutters on the head of the drill, that 'force the water upwardly from the bottom of the hole. The drill is strong enough to successfully withstand the strains to which it is subected when in service it is so desi ned that the drill head can move vertically slightly with relation to the pump casing D without destroying the relationship between the revolving blades and stationary blades of the pump r propeller, and it is inexpensive to manufacture and easy to assemble and disassemble.

While I have herein illustrated the preferredform of my invention as consisting of a drill headof practically hollow form equipped with a pump or propeller built into the head and provided with revolving blades integrally connected to the outer portion'of the head and to the center hub that connects the drill head to the operating shaft, I do not wish it to be understood that my invention is limited to a drill of the particular construction shown, but I prefer to construct the head ofthe drill in this manner on account of the fact that the lower portion of same constitutes the discharge opening or outlet of the water pump and is of sufficient cross sectional area to insure a large volume of water being deliveredat the bottom f the hole, thus insuring successful operation of the drill.

Having. thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: l

l. A rotary drill, comprising a head provided with a cutting means, and a. water pump or propeller built into said head and .comprising stationary blades and revolving blades that rotate with the head of the drill.

2. A rotary drill, comprising a revolving head provided with a water passageway, a cutting means on said head, and vanes or blades arranged in said passageway that cause water to be forced downwardly through said passageway when the drill is in operation.

3. A rotary drill, comprising a revolving head provided with a water passageway, a

cutting means on said head, vanes or blades arranged in said passageway that cause water to be forced downwardly through said passageway when the drill is in operation, and stationary blades that cooperate with the blades in said passagewayl 4. A rotary'drill, comprising a hollow head through which water circulates when the drill is in operation, a cutting means on said head, and propeller vanes or blades in said head that induce a downward circulation of water through the head when the drill is in operation.

5. A rotary drill, comprising a head of substantially tubular form provided with a hub for connecting the drill head to an operating shaft, :1 cutting means on said head, and propeller blades or vanes arranged between the tubular portion of said drill head and said hub.

6. A drill, comprising a head of substantially hollow form, a cutting means on saidhead, means for connecting said head to an operating shaft, and propeller blades or vanes arranged in said ead at a point above the lower end of the head for inducing a circulation of water downwardly through the head when the drill is in operation.

7. A rotary drill provided with a head comprising a hub portion, a tubular portion surrounding said hub portion and spaced away therefrom, a cutting means on said head, and vanes or blades arranged between said hubportion and tubular portion and integrally connected to same.

8. A rotary drill, comprising a head of substantially tubular form open at its upper and lower ends, a cutting means on said head, propeller blades or vanes inside of said head that revolve with the head, stationary blades or vanes arranged above said revolving blades, and means for holding said stationary blades at rest when the head of the drill rotates.

9. A rotary drill, comprising a head that is adapted to be rotated, and a water piunp or propeller built into said head, said head having a water passageway in same of relatively great cross sectional area that con- [3'0 tively to in operation, blades or vanes carried by said I head;

stationary part, and a cutting means on said 12. A rotary drill, comprising ahead provided with a plurality of sets of propeller blades or vanes, a sleeve surrounding *a portion of the drill head, blades or vanes on said sleeve thatcoiiperate with the blades on the drill head to form a water pump or propeller, means for holding said sleeve at I rest when the drill head is in operation,'and

- a cutting means on, said head.

housing v casingof-the hole being drilled, propeller ,13, A rotary drill, comprising rotatableh'ead provided with a cutting means, a pump adapted to'be held at rest in the blades combined with the head of the drill,

and a .sleeve held fromrotation by said pump housing and provided with blades that coiiperate with the blades on the drill head.

14. Arotary'drill, comprising a rotatable head provided with acu'tting means, a pump casing of '5 blades combined with the head of the drill,

' housing adapted to be held a rest in the the hole being drilled, propeller a sleeve held from rotation by said pump housing and provided with blades that cooperate with the blades on the drill head, and means'for permitting the drill head and said sleeve to move axially slightly relasaid pump-housing withoutdestroying the operative relationship between I saidpropeller blades.

- 'a sleeve 1n said housing, codperati-ng pro- 15. A rotary drill, comprising'a head provided with a cutting-means, a pump housing adapted to be held at rest in the casing water inlets, and a pump or propeller are ranged below said water inlets and having a. dlscharge outlet of relatively great cross sectional area that terminates in the lower end of the drill head. I i 16. A rotary drill, comprising a rotatable head provided with a cuttingmeans, a pump housing that is adapted to beheld at rest in the casing of the hole being dri lled,.a sleeve in said housing, coiiperating propeller blades on said sleeve and on the head of the drills, and means for preventing said sleeve from turning with relation to said pump housing when the drill is in operation. 17; A rotary drill, comprising a rotatable head provided, with a cutting means, a pump housing that is adapted to be held at rest in the casing of the hole being drilled,

peller blades on said sleeve and on the head of the drill, and means forconnecting said sleeve to said pump housing'and to said drill head in such a manner that the sleeve will remain at rest when the drill is in operation but both the sleeve and the drill head can move axially"slightly with relation to the pump housing.

18. A' rotary drill, comprising a rotatable whose upper portion is of head, provided with a cutting means, a pump housing that is adapted to be held at rest-inthe casing of the hole being drilled, a sleeve in sa1d hous ng, cooperating propeller bladeson said sleeve and on the head of the drill, a key on said sleeve that slides ina vertical groove in the pump housing,-

and means for causing water to circulate when the drill is in operation.

19'. A rotary drill, comprising -a rotatable head provided with a cutting means and with propeller blades, a sleeve surrounding said head and. provided with codperating' a pump housing surroundpropeller blades,

to be h ld at rest ing said sleeve and-adapted in-the for preventing said sleevefr om turningwith relation, to said pump housing when the drill is in operation, and a removable bushing in the lower end of said pump housing-- that surrounds the drill head.

20. A- rotary drill, comprising a rotatable through said groove so as to keep it clean casing of the hole being drilled, means drill head of substantially tubular form whose upper portion is .of greater. diameter than its lower portion, a cutting means on said drill head, a, hub arranged inside of the. upper portion of the drill,head=for connecting the'drill head to an operating shaft, propeller blades orvanes integrally consurrounding said hub and provided with propeller blades that cotiperate with the blades on the head, and means for preventing saidsleeve from rotating whenthe drill is in operation.

21. Arotary drill, comprising a rotatable drill head of substantially tubular form greater diameter than its lower portion, a hub arranged-inside of the upper pdrtion of the drill head for connecting the drill head to an operaing shaft, propeller blades or vanes inte grally connected to. said hub and to the same, a sleeve surrounding said hub and provided with propeller blades that coiiperate with the blades on the head, means for preventing said sleeve from rotating when the drill is in operation, and a ring-shaped part secured to the blades on said sleeve and arranged in an annular groove in the hub of the drill head.

22."A rotary drill, comprising-a head provided with a tubular portion that forms a passageway for water that is forced downwardly into the hole being drilled, propeller blades or vanes arranged in the ripper portion of said passageway and combined with the head in such a manner that they revolve with the head, stationary propeller blades arrangedabove the revolving blades on the head, and a housing surrounding the upper portion of the head that holds said nected to said hub and to the portion of the drill head that surrounds same, a sleeve I portion of the drill head that surrounds 'vided with water inlets through which water is drawn into the passageway in the drill head when the drill is in operation.

23. A rotary drill, comprising a head, a. water pump or propeller built into said head for drawing water downwardly into the bottom of the hole being drilled, and a cutting means on said-head which tends to pump the water upwardly away from the bottom of the hole.

24. A rotary drill, comprising, a hollow head through which water circulates when head that cooperating sta tionary and rotating propeller blades in said h induce a downward circulation of water through the head when the drill is in operation, and a cutting means on the .extenor of the head which tends to pump the water upwardly away from the bottom of the hole.

25. rotary drill, comprising a hollow head through the drill is in which water circulates when operation, rotating stationary propeller. vanes or blades in said head that induce. a downward circulation of water through the head when the drill is in operation, and cutter blades on saidhead'which cooperate with said propeller vanes by punping the water up on the outside of said ULIA o. LEWIS. 

